Rehabilitation of body injuries often requires extensive, long-term treatment. Frequently machines are used that are aimed at specific areas such as the shoulder or knee. These machines can be expensive and the expense can be increased if a machine cannot be adapted for use on a variety of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints in more than one part of the body, preferably at a variety of angles of operation. In addition, if a therapist or other person other than the patient him/herself is needed to operate the machine, further cost is incurred. Therefore, it would be advantageous if a single patient-operated machine were available that could stretch and otherwise manipulate a variety of areas of the body at different angles.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,393,310 to Andrews discloses an anterior shoulder stretching machine that is operated by the patient. A seat is provided for the user close to a foot rest that moves along an angled guide. The footrest is attached at both ends to separate cables. The user pushes on the foot rest which activates a pair of arm rests that rotate back away from the user. This stretches the user's arms backwards with the length and duration of the stretch controlled by the user's pressure on the foot rest. However, it does not allow for use at a variety of positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,515 to Howell, et al. discloses a multifunction exercise machine that includes a bicycle type pedal chain drive, a rotatable seat assembly, and a “hand pedal” type of arm/shoulder exercise device. The latter is attached to the end of an adjustable upright that extends over the seated operator. However, there is no provision for a stretching device to stretch a user's arms, shoulders or legs and/or shoulders and there is no adjustment of the angle of shoulder stretch. Essentially it only provides a way for the user to “pedal” or rotate both arms and legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,607 to Olson shows an exercise machine with an adjustable resistance assembly. Two separate cables extend respectively from a knee extension device and arm pulleys to the resistance assembly. However, it provides no component that would enable arm or shoulder stretches.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,336 to Sabel portrays a stretching machine that utilizes a motor driven winch holding a cable. The opposite end of the cable is secured to a ring with two stretching cables used to perform the stretching exercises.
Various horizontal bars are available to perform different exercises. It does not provide a way for the user to operate the winch, making the user dependent on a separate operator. In addition, the user must move to a variety of different locations on the machine to perform exercises at different angles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,266 to Ricard presents a machine that stretches the user's legs to perform a split. The machine includes a user operated cable drum that holds two separate cables leading to left and right hand stretching racks. The '266 device does not enable the user to stretch shoulders and arms at a variety of angles.
Thus, it can be seen there is a need in the field for a singe, multi-functional, user-operated machine that enables the user to stretch different areas of the body, such as legs shoulders and arms at different angles.